The Leaving Road Novel Novels & Stories

Once everything was finished, Lucas personally drove her to the airport. “Cecilia… can’t you stay? Please.” She looked back at him but avoided answering. Instead, she said calmly, “Lucas, congratulations. From today on, the Paterson family will be the only one of the five great families left in this city.” Everyone would pay for what they had done. She turned and walked toward the boarding gate without looking back. From this moment on, Marcus and she would go their separate ways. And neither of them would ever look back.

Yet now, just like her mother, she chose Luther over me. Leaning against the headboard, Luther smiled and picked Naomi up in his arms. "You're really my sweet girl, aren't you, Naomi?" Willow immediately stepped forward with concern. "How are you feeling? Is your head still spinning?" What a perfect picture of a family of three. A cold laugh escaped my throat as I shook my head, forcing down the dull ache in my chest. Once I picked up my ID and passport, I turned to leave. … After booking my flight, I stared at my phone. The screen showed a departure three days away. I looked up at the full moon hanging in the sky, and my thoughts began to drift.

The idea was a dangerous one, a spark of hope that could easily be crushed by the harsh reality of my existence. Today, after another day of school and another terse exchange with Mrs. Wyatt about something Zane had falsely accused me of doing, I walked the familiar path back to the quarter. The sun dipped lower, painting the sky in fiery hues, a stark contrast to the quiet ache in my chest. I was ten, and I was Cole Junior, the invisible boy of the Wyatt household. But somewhere, deep down, a tiny flame of defiance flickered. I might not know the truth now, but one day, I would. One day, I would find out why. And then, maybe then, I wouldn't be invisible anymore.

" Jennifer was delighted. She thought William had finally believed her and hurriedly followed behind. Throughout the journey, William remained silent. As they passed along the increasingly desolate roads, Jennifer suddenly felt a wave of unease. "William, why does R+ live so far out here?" William kept his eyes on the road ahead, not answering her. "William, how much longer?" Jennifer glanced at him, feeling something was off. He seemed so unfamiliar. "We're here," William said in a flat voice. Jennifer glanced at the distant villa, feeling an odd sense of dread. When William opened the door for her, she suddenly grabbed his hand.

Leah gasped, her gasp echoing through the forest, kicking birds out of their nests. Lindsey and Libby shushed her at the same time. “Don’t you hear that?!” Leah hopped on the heels of her sneakers. “What?” Libby stared around the slowly darkening forest. “Cars! Meaning a road nearby.” “Oh my gosh we need to hurry up.” Lindsey said. “You’re telling me.” Leah mumbled. The further they walked the thinner the trees got. Though darkness faced them the trees parted. Lindsey’s heart beat faster when a long tar road appeared. Expecting to come out in her neighborhood instead it was a long unfamiliar road with nothing but thicker trees on the other side.

She supposed she would have to steal food when everyone was asleep. To Cory’s dismay, the party pressed on after nightfall. They wanted to leave the seven cities far behind as soon as they could. According to Sprout, the first weapon was “a long ways away”. The dweller refused to reveal anything else until they had reached open land again. By this time, Cory was bruised from being tossed to and fro in the barrel when they rode over bumps in the road. They were on the lone road that led away from the walls shielding the seven cities and into wilder land. This smaller exclusive group of men moved at a much greater pace than the large group of court men had. They were almost to the first forest

Book 2: Crown of Shadows Chapter 1: The Departure The carriage door closed with finality that echoed through her chest like a death knell. Through crystal-clear windows enhanced with court magic far beyond territorial capabilities, she watched Shadoweave's spires fade into pre-dawn mist. Each familiar landmark disappeared with the inexorable permanence of choices that couldn't be unmade.

Seah's Point of View After finishing my duty, I immediately went home. Tired and hungry, walking home with my bag on my shoulder. I still had my things with me from school earlier because I went straight to work. The city lights are on and the street culture is alive. There are many vendors scattered on different sides of the road. The road is noisy and people who want to have fun are here. The whole place is so lively that even if I want to peek, my mind tells me to go home.

"Hi, Ms. Thorne. Is there something you need me to take care of?" Kelly's voice pulled Beatrice out of her daze. "It's nothing," Beatrice replied. "I just wanted to ask about Cedric. Why isn't he in the company group chat?" After a brief pause, Kelly blurted out, "Mr. Bainbridge has resigned." "When did this happen?" Beatrice snapped, nearly losing her balance. "Mr. Bainbridge submitted his resignation the morning before yesterday," Kelly hastily explained. "He mentioned that his wife was stationed in Austera. He intended to take Parker there to be reunited with family while continuing his studies.

Rowan occupied the seat behind her, and Dean sat by the opposite window, studying the passing forest. The road followed the Columbia for long stretches. The river appeared and disappeared between the trees, sometimes close enough to glimpse sunlight dancing across the water. Other times, it vanished completely behind hills and thick evergreen growth. For a while,e no one spoke much. The road itself demanded attention. Several abandoned vehicles blocked sections of pavement, forcing detours and slow navigation. Every mile reminded them how quickly the world had fallen apart. By late morning, they reached the outskirts of the town. The first thing Evelyn noticed was how normal it looked. The s